Heart Rate Variability and Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders in the General Population.

Obstructive sleep apnea seems to have an important influence on the autonomic nervous system. In this study, we assessed the relations of sleep apnea-related parameters with 24-hour heart rate variability (HRV) in a large population of young and healthy adults. Participants aged 25 to 41 years with a body mass index <35 kg/m(2) and without known obstructive sleep apnea were included in a prospective population-based cohort study.